Self-Recovery Mechanism for Multi-Host Emulation Bus Stalls
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-host and multi-device emulation systems, bus stalling and packet frame errors can propagate across interconnected nodes, causing widespread failures due to issues like bus driver malfunctions and unstable connections, necessitating a self-recovery mechanism to prevent prolonged errors and data corruption.
Innovation Solution
The system implements a self-recovery mechanism using timeout thresholds for each bus node, with input and output timers that trigger buffer clearing and dummy data insertion to ensure data integrity, optimizing timeout values based on node connectivity and traffic patterns to prevent false alarms and unnecessary waiting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If timeout thresholds are set to detect bus stalling and packet frame errors quickly, then error identification speed is improved, but false alarms and unnecessary waiting increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting timeout thresholds based on traffic patterns and node connectivity. The system monitors actual bus usage and adapts timeout values to distinguish between legitimate data transmission delays and actual bus stalling conditions, thereby reducing false alarms while maintaining rapid error detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The timeout mechanism is implemented as a dynamic system that adapts to changing bus traffic conditions. The timeout thresholds are not fixed but are adjusted based on observed traffic patterns and connectivity status, allowing the system to respond appropriately to varying operational conditions without generating false positives
2Productivity
If multiple hosts and devices are installed on one emulation system to share hardware resources, then resource utilization is improved, but bus stalling and packet frame errors propagate across interconnected nodes causing widespread failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements segmentation by isolating error propagation through individual node recovery mechanisms. Each bus node operates with independent timeout monitoring and recovery capabilities, so that when a stalling condition is detected at one node, the recovery action is localized to that node and does not propagate failures to other nodes, thereby maintaining system-wide reliability while preserving resource sharing
Solution Approach 2:
Each bus node is equipped with self-recovery capabilities through autonomous timeout detection and buffer clearing mechanisms. When a node detects a stalling condition or packet frame error, it automatically initiates recovery actions without requiring external intervention, preventing error propagation to other nodes while maintaining overall system productivity
3Reliability
If timeout values are optimized based on node connectivity and traffic patterns, then false alarms are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The timeout optimization mechanism employs feedback by continuously monitoring bus traffic patterns and node connectivity status, then using this information to adjust timeout thresholds. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from actual operational conditions and automatically optimize timeout values, reducing false alarms without requiring complex manual configuration or external control systems
Data Source
AI summary
A configuration to address a bus stall during data packet transmission also allows for bus recover due to data packet transmission errors. If a downstream node is not ready to receive data from a buffer of an upstream node, a timer counts a timeout value. The time count increments on each clock cycle in which the downstream node is not ready to receive data. The buffer is cleared at the upstream node when the count reaches a predetermined threshold value. Alternately, the configuration also operates to receive a packet header from an upstream node, the packet header identifying a number of data in a packet. If no data downstream is received on a clock cycle, a counter triggers and is incremented for each cycle in which no date is received. When a threshold is reached dummy data fills a data packet to then transmit the data.